Jenolan Caves - Caves

Caves

Large portions of this extensive cave system are accessible only to cavers, especially those areas along the underground river system; but, there are ten caves at Jenolan that have been developed for regular tourism.

• Lucas Cave: Discovered in 1860 and the most popular among visitors. The Lucas Cave (named after local politician John Lucas who pushed to have the caves preserved in the 1860s) features a number of large chambers including the Cathedral, over 50 metres high, and the vast Exhibition Chamber which contains the Broken Column formation. The Cathedral is also used for wedding ceremonies and recitals. The Cathedral Chamber, the highest Chamber within the Lucas Cave, is the venue for monthly cello and Gypsy music concerts, as well as other special concerts, including by local band Didgeridoo Dingo.

• River Cave: Discovered in 1903, the River Cave is the most extensive show cave at Jenolan and includes some of its most famous features, including the Minaret, the Grand Column and the Queen's Canopy, as well as part of the River Styx. Until 1923 when a concrete bridge was built, a section of river in this cave was crossed by a small boat.

• Chifley Cave: Discovered in 1880 and with electric lighting installed almost immediately, the Chifley Cave was known as the Left Imperial Cave until 1952, when it was renamed in honour of the then recently-deceased former Prime Minister Ben Chifley, who grew up in nearby Bathurst. Two of the cave's chambers are decorated with coloured lights. The Chifley Cave was the first cave in the world to be lit by electric light, having been illuminated this way in 1880.

• Imperial Cave: Discovered in 1879, this is the easiest cave to visit for tourists. The Imperial contains some of the best fossil deposits and several Tasmanian Devil bones. Note that whilst fossils may not be clearly evident to the casual visitor, in fact the bedrock in which the caves are formed is richly endowed with marine fossils. A side-branch known as the Diamond Cave is occasionally shown in combination with the Imperial Cave.

• Orient Cave: Discovered in 1903, the Orient Cave was not opened to public inspection until 1917, to allow for the installation of electric lighting and paths. This cave contains some of the grandest formations in the complex and was steam cleaned to preserve them in 1968. Until 1954, this cave, along with the Temple of Baal and Ribbon Caves, were only accessible through the River Cave. That year, the Binoomea Cut was constructed near Caves House to facilitate easier access to these caves. A new high-tech LED-based lighting system has recently been installed, showing the cave to great effect.

• Ribbon Cave: Discovered at the same time as the Orient Cave, it was originally part of that tour but is now visited separately. The Ribbon Cave is only 60 metres long but is very richly decorated.

• Pool of Cerberus Cave: Discovered in 1903, this cave is a lower arm of the River Cave. The major formations here are the Bath of Venus and part of the underground river system that forms the Pool of Cerberus itself. Also includes rare aragonite formations. Pool of Cerberus Cave is also known for the Aboriginal skeleton found there.

• Jubilee Cave: Discovered in 1893, the Jubilee Cave is the longest show cave at Jenolan. It takes the longest to see because it is fairly remote from the other caves but offers formations of stunning beauty at close quarters. Of the caves shown at Jenolan to the public it is the least visited due to the length of the tour and the small tour groups that can be taken there.

• Temple of Baal Cave: Discovered in 1904, the Temple of Baal Cave consists of only two chambers, one of which is dominated by the huge 9-metre shawl formation called the Angel's Wing. The cave is also famous for a high incidence of the peculiar formations known as Helictites. The name derives from the biblical story of Baal, and the feature names in the cave largely relate to that story. Recent development work has upgraded the lighting and added an audio accompaniment to the cave experience.

• Nettle Cave: The Nettle Cave lies between the Grand Arch and the Devils Coach House. The cave takes its name from the nettles which grow near its entrance (note that raised walkways protect visitors from their stings); an upper part of this cave can be seen from inside the Devil's Coach House. Originally shown as a guided tour, the cave was closed to the public in 1932. In December 2006, this cave was re-opened to the public as a self-guided audio tour, combined with the adjoining Devil's Coach House. The Nettle Cave hosts "Crayfish backs", stromatolites shaped by cyanobacteria, light and wind. They are estimated to be at least 20,000 years old.

The road from Sydney passes through the Arch and six of the cave tours leave from assembly points within it. Adjacent to the Grand Arch is the Devil's Coach House, a vast open-ended chamber that forms part of the many nature walks in the area. High above both of these is Carlotta Arch, a free-standing arch that is all that remains of a higher cavern system long since eroded and collapsed. Along with these areas, there are several other caves in the area, some of which are available for special tours.

• Elder Cave: Named from the Elder tree, visitors would climb down to enter the doline (sinkhole). Discovered in 1848, the Elder Cave was the first of the caves at Jenolan to be found and opened to tourists. It was later considered too difficult to develop adequately and tours eventually ceased; however in the late 1990s the Elder Cave was re-opened for adventure caving, and is sold as the Plughole Tour. It is not as well decorated as the regular show caves, but does feature signatures left by early visitors and includes a short section of the Imperial Cave.

• Aladdin Cave: The Aladdin Cave was first explored in the hope of developing a shorter path to the Jubilee Cave. It boasts an abundance of decorations not dissimilar to the Jubilee.

• Jersey Cave: An extension of the Elder Cave. One of the features is a fossilised thylacine skeleton.

• Arch Cave: This cave lies above Nettle Cave and part of it can be seen from the Devils Coach House. The entrance to this cave is at the base of Carlotta Arch (hence the name) and the stairs and locked gate can still be reached although the Arch Cave.

• Caves House, Jenolan

• Blue Lake, Jenolan

• View through Carlotta Arch, Jenolan